11 Things You Didn't Know About Alex O'Loughlin

1.) His first professional acting job was as a background actor

Alex's acting career has seemingly come full circle. While he currently plays Lieutenant Commander Steven "Steve" J. McGarrett, USNR (United States Navy Reserves), one of his first professional acting jobs was in the background of a TV commercial, where he played another military role as a member of the Australian military forces.

2.) He's done his own stunt work

Wanting to get in on the action of the action-packed 2007 TV series Moonlight, Alex had some training in Kung Fu and and Tai Chi in order to prepare for his role and stunt work.

​3.) He put out a bushfire

Alex is apparently a hero on and off screen. "I put a bushfire out," he said. "It was one of the most incredible things, terrifying. We get them a lot in Australia.”

4.) He's a skilled fisherman

"I'm a fisherman," Alex revealed in an interview. "I’ve always loved fishing. I grew up fishing for trout. I’m not the best fly fisherman, but I can fly-fish, because I crack a whip. I learned to crack a whip as a boy...I have skills, mad skills. Also I’ve been ocean fishing and river fishing."

5.) He's gotten into surfing since moving to Hawaii

“Surfing is my great passion in Hawaii,” he said in an interview. Now that he's in Hawaii, he can hit up spots like Diamond Head, Tongs, and Velzyland on the North Shore.

​6.) He can tie surgical knots

Alex learned how to tie surgical knots for his role as Dr. Andy Jablonski in Three Rivers. "I can actually do the knots," he once said. "Gonzo [Dr. Gonzalo 'Gonzo' Gonzalez-Stawinski, the surgeon who inspired Alex's character], showed me. I'm quite proficient with that, because I’m used to working with fishing line."

7.) He started his career in theater

Before his big TV success, Alex actually began his acting career in Sydney theater, appearing in plays by great Russian authors like Anton Chekhov and Leo Tolstoy.

8.) He once worked as a plumber's apprentice

“I worked for a plumber for three months or something, when I was in the tortured teenage years, as a part-time job," he said an interview. "It was the worst job ever, so disgusting.”

9.) He has a degree in acting

Alex may be a talented actor, but he also has the credentials to go along with his onscreen skills. He graduated from Australia's National Institute of Dramatic Art in Sydney in June 2002, after completing a full-time three-year Bachelor of Dramatic Art program.

10.) He's had a celebrity roommate

Just because Alex is one of Hollywood's most popular actors, it doesn't mean he doesn't occasionally have a roommate. He bunked up with Jonathan Rhys Meyers in New York City during the filming of the 2007 film August Rush.

11.) ​He has a special meatball recipe

Not only can he act, but cook as well! He uses "lots of fresh garlic, but —it makes a difference—the way you cut the garlic and the onion, the kind of onion you use," Alex revealed. "If it’s just for me, I use lean beef. If it’s for other people, I'll use Wagyu or Kobe.”